France: Over 20 employers and 10,000 employees participate
According to French media reports on the 3rd, a statement released by the Ministry of Transport on the 2nd announced the implementation of an experimental reward program called “Bike to Work.” Currently, the program has attracted participation from over 20 companies and institutions in France, benefiting approximately 10,000 employees. Under the plan, employees of these companies and institutions who choose to bike to work will receive a bonus of €0.25 per kilometer.
French Minister of Transport Frédéric Cuvillier stated that if the program proves successful, a second phase with broader coverage will be launched. In the statement, Cuvillier mentioned that the French government already has a series of subsidy measures in place to encourage public transportation use.
Currently, cycling accounts for just 2.4% of all commuting trips in France. The Ministry of Transport hopes the “Bike to Work” reward program can increase this proportion to 5%, equivalent to around 800 million kilometers. Statistics show that the average distance French people travel from home to work is 3.5 kilometers.
Netherlands: 25% of trips made by bike
In fact, not only in France, but many other European countries are also strongly encouraging green commuting—using public transport or cycling—not only for health benefits but also to reduce air pollution and energy consumption. Countries such as the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, and the UK have already introduced preferential policies to encourage cycling to work. These include tax reductions, allowances, and subsidies for purchasing bicycles.
In Belgium, a bicycle tax reduction scheme has been in place for five years, and now cycling accounts for 8% of all trips nationwide. According to statistics from cycling organizations, in the “kingdom of bikes”—the Netherlands, known for its flat terrain and love for cycling—cycling accounts for as much as 25% of all trips.
Germany: High-tech bike highways
Randy, head of the “Bike to Work” project under the European Cyclists’ Federation headquartered in Brussels, said that after receiving EU funding, they conducted a survey to determine which bike incentive programs are most effective in Europe. The results showed that bike-sharing schemes, which have been launched in cities such as Paris, Barcelona, London, and Stockholm, have played a significant role in popularizing cycling.
Additionally, to support the trend of shifting from “four wheels to two” across Europe, many countries have begun building bicycle highways. In the Netherlands, where there are more bicycles (18 million) than people (16 million), five bicycle highways have already been completed, and the number is still growing.
Copenhagen in Denmark and Amsterdam in the Netherlands are known as Europe’s two top cycling cities. The former has about 400 kilometers of bike lanes. In Germany, local governments are actively advancing the upgrade of bicycle highways, with authorities currently researching closed bicycle superhighways powered by airflow: large streams of moving air inside the lanes help propel cyclists, reducing effort, increasing speed, and preventing sweat.